yea it doesn't look bad, but just to be safe if Rooney doesn't make it, what about keeping Cole on the left since i have my doubt about Gerrard there, push Lampard up front since as you rightfully said he brings more of a goal-scoring treat and put Gerrard in between Beckham & Cole in the mid-field & Carrick to do the holding role.

But the fact is i hope Rooney makes it, i think looking at the schedule we should be able to do without him up to the last group game vs Sweden so he can get some time to recover. So that when we get to the 2nd round (yes i'm 100% sure we will qualify), he will be back to his best hopefully.

Actually I think we could safely qualify from the group without him altogether, we really should only need a point by the time Sweden arrive. To be honest I'd still prefer the movement and trickery of Cole in the hole, even though Gerrard is stuck on the left, but hey, knowing Sven he'll go with Crouch ffs.

Member of the Rosalie Birch Appreciation Society (RBAS)Member of CVAAS - go Joe

"The PFA does not represent players when they have broken the law and been convicted on non-football matters."- Gordon Taylor in 2009 following Marlon King's release after a prison sentence for sexual assault & ABH

Ignoring the archetypal football fan Crouch hater brigade on here (sorry but most football fans are stupid - they'd sooner have a slow 2 foot 3 weakling with good skills playing than someone that'll give any defense a problem but is gormless with it - then they'll boo him whenever he gets the ball), I don't really see the point in England playing 4-5-1 or 4-4-1-1 systems - England players aren't smart enough to adapt to new systems in a short space of time and it'll just result in some shambolic mess for the first game which will then mean a hasty, messy retreat back to 4-4-2.

Yeah well...James for Robinson, P Neville for A Cole, Des Walker still has a kick about every now and again so him in for Terry.....

Seriously though - Beckham should play ahead of Downing due to the fact that Downing's been injured quite a lot of the season. And i'd rather see Sheringham partner Owen than Crouch, who has no ball control, doesn't ever seem to get into the game whenever i've seen him, his heading isn't even that good - he's just really really tall.

Downing has done very well in his last few games for Boro, creating lots of chances through crosses. I don't see him having been injured over two months before England's first WC game being a problem. Beckham has repeatedly been the weakest link by a distance whenever he's played for England for the last few years, he always looks like getting himself sent off because he goes nuts whenever he gives the ball away and every team in the world has him sussed - stand in front on his right hand side and watch him go round in circles like a duck in water with one leg before passing the ball backwards 20 yards. Downing would still be the weakest link in midfield to an extent, but he'll improve the balance, not waste most of the free kicks, corners and not get himself sent off.

As for the forwards you primarily need someone who can win the ball in the air and just basically be an annoyance and distraction when they're partnered with Owen. I don't think Sheringham will be able to do this as well as Crouch, if Owen wasn't playing then it would all be different.

Having said this I hope Owen learns to anticipate Crouch's flick-ons a lot better, because Crouch almost always gets his head to an aerial ball and flicks it on - last few England games I've seen Owen stands still like a pillock expecting a pin point cushion header.